The University of Oulu released a statement saying it would close its doors until the 13th of April yesterday. All university teaching will be organised remotely. The decision was made as a result of the Finnish government’s measures released on the 16th of March.
The University will close campuses starting tomorrow, the 18th of March. As the campuses close, all university teaching will be organised remotely via Zoom and Teams applications.
Students will no longer be able to enter campuses before April. The 24/7-cards will stop working on university premises on the 18th. The University says students should retrieve what they need from the campuses during the course of today, the 17th of March.
The University started special arrangements due to coronavirus last week. Then the instructions were to move to remote studies and stop exchanges as well as big events. Now the measures increase in intensity as the Finnish government decided to close all schools. At the same time they banned public gatherings of over ten people and decided to close public hobby and leisure centres.
The limitations mean that instead of previous information, the University will close completely. The University libraries, Linnanmaa sports hall and gym as well as the botanical garden will close. Many interest societies at the university have also cancelled events due to the limitations.
The university libraries will close until the 13th of April. When the library is closed all loans will be renewed automatically. No late fees will be charged.
Campus restaurants have also had to adapt. The CEO of Uniresta, Kaija-Liisa Silvennoinen says that all campus restaurants except Medisiina will be closed this week. This means Kastari, H2O Campus and Campus shop will be closed on the Linnanmaa campus.
Vanilla, Uniresta restaurant in the city centre, however will stay open. Vanilla and Medisiina will continue to offer student priced meals also with take away -options. Kela has given campus restaurants permission to sell student lunches as take away -products until the end of May.
Uniresta Oy is owned by the Student Union of Oulu and Oulu ylioppilasapu ry.
Juvenes Oy is also keeping restaurant Foodoo open. Students can pick up prepackaged student meals from Foodoo in Linnanmaa, the restaurant provider said on the 19th of March.
Read the latest updates about corona on the University’s website.
Updated at 13.25: Added comments from the Uniresta CEO.
Updated 19.3. 11.17: Added information about Foodoo by Juvenes.
